French cuff



Feb. 28, 1956 I F. x. BODE 2,736,032

FRENCH CUFF Filed Aug. 24, 1953 fnl/enter* /95'5 WOr/veys United States Patent() FRENCH CUFF Francis X. Bode, Albany, N. Y. Application August 24, 1953, Serial No. 375,991

4 Claims. (Cl. 2-124) My invention is a French cuff which is adapted for attachment to a barrel cuff without any modification of the latter.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a French cuff which is readily attachable to and detachable from a barrel cuff. Another object is to provide such a cuff which is reversible so that it may be applied to a barrel cuff with either side exposed.

I accomplish these objects by means of the structure described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. l is a perspective view of a cuff adapted for attachment to a barrel cuff on the left sleeve of a shirt;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showingone of my cuffs about to be attached to a barrel cuff on the left sleeve of a shirt;

Fig. 3 shows the cuff attached to the barrel cuff;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing my cuff about to be attached to a barrel cuff on the right sleeve of a shirt;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the cuff attached to the left sleeve of a shirt with the ends thereof secured together by a link;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section View of Fig. 5 in the plane 6-6; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged and distorted section through one of the marginal edges of my cuff.

My cuff is represented generally by the numeral 1, and comprises an elongated, generally rectangular structure comprising two, substantially identical pieces of fabric 2 and 3 (see Fig. 7) forming the opposite sides thereof and which are stitched together, as shown at 4, along their marginal edges. Thus, the cuff is reversible and may be attached to a barrel cuff with either side thereof exposed. If desired, a layer of stiffening fabric 5 (see Fig. 7) may be disposed between the outside fabrics 2 and 3.

The cuff is provided adjacent each end with transversely-spaced buttonholes 6 and 7, and 8 and 9. It is also provided with a fifth buttonhole which is adjacent the buttonhole 8 and in alignment therewith and with the buttonhole 6 adjacent the other end of the cuff. The distance between the buttonhole 6 and the buttonhole 10 is preferably but not necessarily the same as the spacing between the buttonhole 11 and the button 12 on the barrel cuff 13 to which the French cuff is to be attached. The overall length is preferably but not necessarily somewhat in excess of the length or width of the barrel cuff to which it is to be attached and, the overall width thereof is such that, when it is folded along its longitudinal center line, as shown in Fig. l, it is adapted to receive between the folds thereof the entire free edge 14 of the barrel cuff 13 and at least those portions of said barrel cuff which are disposed between said edge 14 and a line somewhat spaced inwardly from the buttonhole 11 and button 12 on the barrel cuff.

In order to attach my cuff to the barrel cuff 13, the barrel cuff may be laid out fiat, as shown in Figs. 2` and 4 with the button on the upper side. The barrel cuff 13 is then placed between the folds of the French cuft` with the buttonhole 10 aligned with the button 12 by means of which my cuff is secured to the barrel cuff, as shown in Fig. 3. The buttonholes 6 and 7 are then in linkreceiving alignment as are the buttonholes 8 and 9. If the distance between the buttonhole 10 and the buttonhole 6 is the same as the distance between the button 12 and the buttonhole 11 of the barrel cuff, the buttonhole 11 will then be in link-receiving alignment with the buttonholes 6 and 7. By bringing the ends of the French cuff together, all of the buttonholes, 6, 7, 8 and 9 therein, and the buttonhole 11 in the barrel cuff will be in aligninent so that a link 15 may be slipped therethrough, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the cuff is to be attached to the barrel cuff on the left hand sleeve of the shirt, it is folded as shown in Fig. 1 but, when it is to be attached to the cuff on the right hand sleeve, it must be folded in the opposite direction, as shown inFig. 4, although it obviously might be made attachable to either cuff when folded in one way by placing another buttonhole similar to the buttonhole 10 adjacent the buttonhole 6.

Since my cuff is attached to the barrel cuff by means of the button and the buttonhole adjacent one end thereof, it might be made long enough so that the buttonholes 6 and7at the other end thereof extend beyond the end of the barrel cuff having the buttonhole ll'therein. In other words, it is not absolutely necessary to secure that end of my cuff having the buttonholes 6 and 7 therein to the barrel cuff by means of the link 15. Furthermore, my cuff might be attached to a barrel cul which, when flat, is longer than my cuff by merely folding back the buttonhole portion of the barrel cuff and passing the link 1S through the buttonholes in my cuff.

While I have illustrated the ends of my cuff as being secured together by a conventional link when the cuff is attached to a barrel cuff, it is to be understood that any suitable means may be employed for securing said ends together.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my device provides a ready means for converting a shirt equipped with barrel cuffs into one equipped with French cuffs. It also provides a means for applying clean cuffs to barrel cuffs or concealing the frayed edges of a barrel cuff. By using my cuffs, fewer launderings of a barrel cuff-equipped shirt are necessary and thereby the life of the shirt is prolonged. It will also be apparent that my cuffs may be readily laundered at home.

What I claim is:

l. A French cuff for converting a barrel cuff having a button adjacent one end thereof and a buttonhole adjacent the other end thereof into a cuff of the French type; said French cuff comprising an elongated, generally rectangular structure formed of at least two layers of the same fabric secured together by stitching along their marginal edges; said French cuff being of a width at least approximating twice the width of said barrel cuff and of a length substantially exceeding the length of said barrel cuff whereby when said French cuff is folded along its longitudinal center line said barrel cuff may be substantially concealed between the folds thereof; said French cuff having two transversely spaced buttonholes adjacent each end thereof symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal center line of said cuff; and a fifth buttonhole longitudinally spaced from one of said end buttonholes a distance substantially equal to the distance between said button and buttonhole of said barrel cuff and in longitudinal alignment with said one buttonhole and the buttonhole adjacent the opposite end of said French cuff and on the same side of the longitudinal center line thereof.

2. A cuff adapted for attachment to a barrel cuff for converting it into a French cuff; said cuff comprising an elongated, generally rectangular structure formed of at least two layers of fabric secured together along their marginal edges and of a length and width adapting it, when folded along its longitudinal center line, to enclose between the folds thereof the free edges of a barrel cuif havingA a button adjacent one end thereof and a buttonhole adjacent the other end thereof, and also those p0rtions 0f said barrel cuff in which said button and buttonhole are located; said cuff having a pair of transversely spaced buttonholes adjacent each end thereof all of which are in aligned, link-receiving relation when said structure is folded in cuff formation; and a iifth buttonhole between and in aligned relation with one buttonhole of each pair of said transversely spaced buttonholes for securing said cuff to said button; said iifth buttonhole being spaced from one of the buttonholes aligned therewith a distance substantially equal to the distance between the button and buttonhole on said barrel cuff, and, from the other buttonhole aligned therewith, a distance at least equal to the distance between the button on said barrel cuff and the edge of said barrel cuif adjacent said button.

3. A French cul adapted to cover a soiled or damaged barrel cuff having a button adjacent one end thereof and a buttonhole adjacent the other end and convert it into a French cuff by attaching it to the button on said barrel cuff; said French cuff comprising an elongated, generally rectangular piece of fabric having two transversely-spaced buttonholes therein adjacent each end thereof, and a fifth buttonhole spaced inwardly from but adjacent one of said first mentioned buttonholes and in longitudinal 30 alignment with said one buttonhole and one of the buttonholes adjacent the other end of said piece; the width and length of said piece and the relative location of said buttonholes being such that, when the barrel cul to which said French cuff is to be attached is unbuttoned and laid at and said French cuff is attached thereto by means of said fifth buttonhole and said button, and said French cuff is folded around the edge of said barrel cuff and the transversely-extending free edges of said French cuff are then brought together, said transversely-spaced buttonholes in said French cuff adjacent each end thereof and the buttonhole in said barrel cuff will be disposed in link-receiving alignment.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 in which said French cuff comprises two layers of substantially the same fabric secured together by stitching along the marginal layers and forming the opposite sides of said cuff; whereby, said cuff is reversible and attached to said barrel cui with either side exposed.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,886,798 Fletcher Nov. 8, 1932 2,135,502 Grigsby Nov. 8, 1938 2,447,106 Wegener Aug. 17, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 163,260 Switzerland Oct. 2, 1933 137,025 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1919 

